Ikiru and my son

I watched Ikiru with my twenty-one year old son last night, a treat in and of itself. Tonight he picks the movie, and choose Steve McQueen’s On Any Sunday. Tomorrow night we watch High and Low. Anyway I must say that the positive message of Ikiru is wonderful. This being the second time I viewed the film I was struck by a couple things. The writer is an interesting character, he decides to show Watanabe how to live, and in truth I believe Watanabe realizes though it may have been fun, it is not living. Secondly I believe that Watanabe is truly creepy in regards to his relationship with the young lady, Toyo, he is sucking the life from her. It is only when he is reborn, that he begins to live. The music choices are fantastic, maybe the best of any of AK’s films. I also love the piece when after leaving the doctor, we see Watanabe staggering up a silent street, in shock and barely functional, only to have our ears assaulted when we hear what is really happening in the world. What a film. Comments?

So I am assuming your son enjoyed the film? The first time I saw it was when I was 20 (when Criterion released it) and I was throughly moved. I recently watched it a second time and was perhaps even more struck by the audacious and tragic humanity from all aspects in this film. It just reminded me why I love AK films so much, and admire the man himself so greatly.

This is one of my favorite Kurosawa films, as well as just one of my favorite films, period. Such a heartbreaking, terrifically acted drama. I have actually been wanting to watch this again as of late.

My son loved the film. In fact this past week we have been expanding his film viewership. I am also introducing him to Cary Grant, one of my favorites. We will watch another AK soon. He wants to see 7 Samurai, but I have seen it so often I am kind of pushing in another direction, perhaps Ran.

Please don’t deprive your son of the experience of seeing Seven Samurai. Seeing that movie for the first time is a pretty great expereince, and you’d be there to witness it. besides, you can never see that movie too many times.

I saw my first AK film at 14 and built up to Seven Samurai, which was the smart thing to do because I had not seen too many foreign or older films at that time.

But your son, BMW, is 20 and seems to have been exposed to it enough where I think Seven Samurai would/should/could be right around the corner.

He will see it this weekend. I want to share it with him, so we will watch it. Funny thing is he has seen the anime and read the graphic novel.

Great to hear that your son enjoyed Ikiru!

To be honest, for me it has always been a bit difficult film — while I certainly see why it is considered great, on a personal level it somehow doesn’t really speak to me all that much. Not like most other Kurosawa films.

Then again, I haven’t seen it now for a couple of years, so perhaps I should give it another view sometime soon.

I’ve found that my opinions of movies chages over the years. It’s like re-reading a great book every few years: the book will be exactly the same, but YOU’LL be different.

Oh how true, I have some things I have made an effort to experience at different stages in my life. You never know, what you may not have cared for at 18, will thrill you at 40.